The Solitude of Immortality
by Stray the Metallic Imp
Summary: The X Men pick up a young man who has been trapped on an island for over 200 years. X Men x Potc Crossover. Starring the one eyed wonder Ragetti. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

The Solitude of Immortality 

Disclaimer: I do not own any branch of the X-Men franchise nor do I own Pirates of the Caribbean or Ragetti. Doesn't mean I wouldn't like to.

Notes: Meh, I was viciously attacked by a mutant plot bunny with really long teeth. Being bored out of my skull and seeing as the creature was attached like a parasite, I decided to try writing it. If I get 7 reviews, I will continue it. If not, well, wait until the plot bunny seeks it's revenge.

Here we go!

Chapter One 

The Black Bird landed slowly and carefully onto to pale glittering sand below. It was the only open spot on the tiny island large enough to land the jet, but it still had to be done with great precision. Slowly it inched down until the landing gear opened up and extended touching the fine white grains and with a sudden shudder the craft was in place.

"Like, nice landing Cyclops."

Scott Summers ignored the sarcastic comment and put the jet in wait mode until they found the mutant in question. All things considered his landing had been quite nice up to the sudden shudder and he ignored the valley girl behind him. The X-Men on this mission only consisted of himself, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Jean, and Nightcrawler. Wolverine grunted and un-strapped himself from his seat and stood up to stretch and pop a few joints.

"Alright, this is supposed to be a slightly tricky mission. Chuck said this Mutant's mutation is like a form of immortality. He doesn't need to eat or drink, and he won't age. Problem with it is that he can be killed by someone other than him, but for whatever reason can't kill himself. Doesn't work or something, Prof said he's been marooned here for a long time, but he can't be sure how long. He guessed that it's over a hundred though."

The group of teenagers muttered and whispered back and forth for a moment and he allowed it. Grunting he re-established their attention. "Stick together, if this kid has been alone for over a hundred years, well, you can get yer ass he's bound to be a little out of it. He might attack if you scare him, goes especially for you Elf."

Jean and Cyclops nodded and stood to join the older mutant. Nightcrawler blushed slightly and nodded knowing that his appearance did tend to have that affect on people. The younger ones took the other two's example and stood. Taking a deep clear breath Wolverine flipped the switch that opened the hatch and it lowered, they descended carefully peering out into the hot and bright Caribbean sun. The island was certainly small, less then a mile long and less than half wide. They looked around for a moment.

"It's really pretty here. I wouldn't mind living in a place like this."

Jean spoke admiringly as she eyed the rich green palms and the lapping ocean. Kitty nodded her head and quickly agreed. Cyclops broke their admiration though. "He doesn't live here, he's trapped here. We can plan the beach party _after_ we find this guy." Kitty sniffed knowing he was kidding about the beach party, but she couldn't help but to think how nice a place it would be to throw her birthday party.

Wolverine pointed a direction and began hiking through the soft sand that sank beneath his boots. He didn't wear his mask for this mission due to the fact he had been warned that it would likely frighten the only inhabitant of the tiny isle. The gang of teenagers followed him for awhile as he sniffed and smelled the air trying to pick up on a scent.

After about ten minutes he began leading them onto slightly firmer ground and they all appreciated it. The sand was so soft and fine it made the hike difficult and Jean had cheated by gently levitating herself along the ground. They pushed through palm trees and other foliage and stopped when the senior mutant held up a hand a breathed in deeply through his nose. He sniffed carefully testing the air to be sure, and after mentally deciding turned to the left and continued making a path for the others to follow.

After a few minutes the trees and shrubs began to clear and they found themselves wandering into a small sandy clearing where there was a small fire pit lined with rocks and what looked like an ancient rowboat that had a huge chunk missing from it. It was flipped over onto the ground and through the gape they could see a lump of canvas resting inside. But their attention quickly turned to a tall rail thin man who was crouched over the fire pit with a rock in each hand. Next to him laid a tiny pile of dead fish and he stared up at them blankly.

At first look, he was a sad sight. All bones with a thin layer of tanned skin stretched over it like latex over a skeleton. He was covered in filth as well, his face and hands were grimy as well as his bare feet and the stretch of his legs that were seen where the clothing he wore was ended. His hair might have once been blond, but was now a disgusting grimy and greasy mess that fell in front of his mismatched eyes. One eye was pale blue and the other was brown and bulged from the socket grotesquely. He stared at them for a moment then shook his head causing the brown eye to spin in place and began beating the rocks together eliciting tiny sparks. His clothing was unusual as well. A ripped and faded green jacket over a torn shirt that might have once been red, but was now a faded maroon. His trousers (the only word that suited them) stopped just below his knee and he had an odd sash as well as a sword and an antique pistol.

Logan could hear the young man muttering under his breath as easily as if her had been whispering into his own ear. "…s'not real. None der, disappear in a minute. Yer alone ye fool, s'none there. Just yer 'ead playin' tricks on ye. None der, n'ones eva' der…"

Wolverine turned slowly to look at the mutants behind him. Cyclops's face was drawn and grim and Jean looked like she was being over come with emotions. Shadowcat seemed curious and disgusted and the elf merely watched the man as though silently grieving for him.

Sighing the older X-Man turned and addressed the pathetic creature. "You…bub! It's alright kid, we're here to help you." He waited for a reaction and watched the scrawny man begin to tremble and clashed the rocks together harder. His muttering increased and he refused to look up at them. "…s'not real…s'not real…none der, yer alone ye bloody fool…"

Logan was slightly interested in the way the young man spoke. He eyed the pistol hanging from the kid's hip again and tried to date it. It was certainly older that a hundred years, he was guessing over two hundred at least. He couldn't think of the last time he heard some one say "ye".

"Kid…?" He took a subtle step forward and motioned to the others to stay in their current position. The young man was clacking the rocks creating sparks galore but he wasn't paying them any mind. By the glassy look in the young man's eyes he had retreated into his mind but continued to mutter a mile a minute. Logan approached carefully and quietly not wanting to startle the thin man into consciousness resulting in him attacking or fleeing.

Minutes seemed to creep by as he reached the fire pit and reached out a muscular arm towards the scarecrow of a man. He heavy gloved hand touched down onto the trembling shoulders and the shaking abruptly stopped. The young man's head raised up to look up at the mutant and his mouth fell open to show rotted teeth. The glassy sheen disappeared and was replaced by wonder as his head turned to stare at the hand that touched his cloth covered skin.

"Ye…ye…yer real?" Before Logan was able to finish nodding he had his arms full of a smelly grimy young man who had begun weeping and screaming praises to God. Logan was so taken aback he fell with a thump to the soft sandy ground and grunted as the miserable creature crawled into his lap and clung to him like a leech.

"Lord Jesus! O' Mighty God, thank ye! Thank ye Lord fer forgiven' me! I'll be a good man! Thank ye Lord!"

Jean appeared at his side as well as Cyclops while the younger mutants stayed back a ways. Jean was grinning down at the older man and Summers looked as though he was struggling not to smile himself. Kitty came closer to get a look at the new mutant and smiled at him. The skinny thing finally let go and looked up to stare at the teenagers, his bony fingers released their hold on Wolverine and he grabbed the red head to hug her as well. "Praise Jesus! 'e leave me! 'e sent me angels! The Lord forgave me, 'e did! Thank ye Lord! Thank ye!"

All in all, he repeated the spectacle of dramatics with each member until he turned and saw Nightcrawler creeping his way over. The blue eye went wide and under all all the filth and grime he turned sickly pale and went slack. The X-Men looked over and saw whom he had spotted and all uttered an "Uh-oh."

"I been tricked! Demons! Oh Lord why ye punish me! I'll be a good Christ'an! Please Lord!"

They watched Kurt's face fall but watched the broken man fall to the sand as he weeped to God for forgiveness. Curling in on himself he shook and chanted a broken Hail Mary as in between lines he cried to the Lord begging for pardon from the hell he was in.

Though it was obvious his feelings were considerably hurt, Kurt closed the distance between himself and the man placed a fuzzy hand on the man's cheek. The pale blue eye went wide and the other brown one rocked in it's socket as he stared up in terror.

"Ve are not here to hurt you. Ve are not demons, ve are people. Ve can take you somevere safe, avay from this place, ja?"

The man shivered and nodded. Un-curling his long arms and legs and wiped away his tears with a filthy jacket sleeve and succeeded in smearing more grime around on his face. "Can we bury Pinters?"

The question knocked them all off kilter and Jean finally spoke the question as they all stared around at each other uncomfortably. "Who is Pinters?"

The starved man jumped up surprising them with his quick movement and moved over to the destroyed rowboat that they had seen earlier. He flipped it with some work on his part and they say a rumpled spread of yellowed canvas covering something almost six feet long. Before any of them could beg him to stop, he pulled back the cover showing them a rotted skeleton dressed in remnants of clothing similar to the ones he wore himself.

" 'e was me best mate. Name was Pintel it 'twas. He promised ta ne'er leave me to meself, but 'e died anyway. A long time ago, too. A long **long** time ago."

End of Chapter Thanks for reading! Please review, remember, 7 reviews guarantee a second chapter. Gotta go, hope that you enjoyed it a bit. 

Stray


	2. Chapter 2

The Solitude of Immortality 

Disclaimer: I do not own any version of the X-Men nor Pirates of the Caribbean. I only borrow them for short periods of time.

Notes: Thanks to those who read and reviewed and also to those who just plain read. Seeing as I got about seven including my reviews here and on livejournal, I will continue with another chapter. I hope that you all enjoy, please review. Flames will be used to roast innocent baby mutants.

Chapter 2

By the time Kitty had stopped vomiting and Kurt had bamfed away to retrieved a stretcher from the Black Bird, Logan was starting to loose his God given patience. Jean and Cyclops were enjoying the scenery and Shadowcat was still sick from seeing the skeleton, but the scrawny young man they had come for was _talking_ to it. Babbling in a slightly autistic way was actually more accurate. He was on his knees talking to the skeleton as if it was a living person.

" We been saved Pint! The Lord forgave us and 'e sent people ta 'elp us! Whens we gets back ta de real world, I'll give ye a proper fun'ral I will. Wit flowers an' a real coffin. We can use sunflowers! Ye like yellow don' ye? Ye looked nice in dat yellow dress, so I'll use sunflowers. Yellow was yer colour, though I liked me pink dress person'lly…"

Logan gave the young man an odd look. He had worn a pink dress and his comrade had worn a yellow one? What in the hell did people do for fun when this kid was last in civilization? Dress in drag and do the hula? He snorted to himself, last time he let the younger kids pick The Lion King for Friday movie night. But it was still an odd one-sided conversation to listen too.

In a rush of smoke and brimstone Kurt appeared with the stretcher causing the scrawny island man to yelp and fall back onto his bony behind in surprise. Kurt scratched the back of his head and smiled apologetically.

"Dun do dat!"

Shaking his head Logan called over Jean and they pulled back the cover for the stretcher. He gestured to the bones and addressed the emaciated man. "We're gonna move him to the stretcher kid. Better back up." He rose an eyebrow when the scarecrow back peddled immediately but watched them wringing his hands frantically. "Careful wit 'im. I ain' moved 'im since 'e died."

Jean smiled at his worry and lifted her hands in front of herself and stared at the bones with concentration. Slowly but dutifully they rose into the air as one mass and floated over to the stretched where they were gently set down as a whole. Every bone was in place as it should be and the sheet cover fluttered up and covered the remains. Buckles and snaps fixed into place and the man's bones were perfectly secured. Sighing she wiped her brow and smiled at the filth covered look of amazement.

"Why alls you get nice powers and I git stuck on a bleedin' island?"

She laughed softly and shook her head. Rolling her shoulders she looked around and her gaze once again landed on his bony frame. Shrugging she turned to walk back over to Cyclops. Logan surveyed the area and not seeing anything else that they would need to worry about, decided it was a good time to get going.

"Elf, teleport the stretcher back to the Jet. Everyone else, lets head out."

Not waiting for an answer he began hiking the way they had come and he heard the shuffling of feet following as well as the trademark bamf. After a few minutes the scrawny man piped up.

"Me names Ragetti! Wots yers?" He blinked owlishly over at Kitty and grinned a slightly crazed grin. She shrank away from the sight of his rotted teeth but forced a smile in return. "I'm, like, Kitty Pryde. Nice to meet you." Nodding enthusiastically he turned to the older teens and also asked for their names. After they finished smiling an answering he nodded and bounded ahead like a long legged puppy and walked beside Logan.

Opening his mouth to babble he was quickly cut off.

"Name is Logan, nice to meet you, be quiet."

His mouth pooped shut and he looked back to the others as if to ask for help. Seeing he looked as though he would actually cry, Scott spoke up. "Don't worry Ragetti, he's like that with everyone. In fact, I think he likes you." The thin man wibbled and sniffed but nodded.

As they reached the beach they saw Kurt sitting on the ramp waiting for them and he waved. Ragetti stopped dead in his barefoot tracks causing Jean to bump into him. Pointing at the Black Bird he screeched wide eyed. With only one wide eye, the other just spun around in the socket.

"Wot de bloody 'ell is dat fing!"

Logan mentally slapped himself. Of course the kid was freaked out, he had gotten stuck here long before planes were around. He had probably been expecting a ship or boat to be taking him off the damned island. Grunting he turned around.

"It's a jet. Think of it as a ship that goes through the air."

" 'ow does it stay up?"

"Magic, shut up and get in."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The ride to back to the mansion was very interesting. Ragetti refused to look out the window even with Kitty and Jean coaxing him to do so. Apparently he was scared it would go down if he did. He dry gagged when they hit turbulence and babbled meaninglessly when he wasn't doing that.

They all suspected he wasn't right in the head whether it be brain damage or a low level of autism. At random moments he would crow something of complete brilliance and ruin it by being suddenly fascinated by something of little importance. For example; the seats, Kurt's tail, Kitty's gloves, and Logan's hair. He babbled about wooden horses, dresses, ships and chips. It turns out he liked chips. Half of what he said wasn't even understandable due to his accent and strange manner of speaking. But they were all annoyed and enlightened by the time they landed in the hangar.

Professor Xavier was waiting patiently for they're arrival and Ororo stood beside him. After the hatch touched down they walked to meet him wearily. Kurt and Jean seemed in the best of moods though because they had handled Ragetti by smiling and nodding when he spoke.

"Did you find him?"

Ororo was answered when Ragetti tripped on his way out and went tumbling head over heals to the ground in a flurry of yelps and curses. Groaning he sat up whimpering and his rubbed his head until he noticed all eyes were focused on himself.

Flushing under the grime he was covered in he ducked his head and began pulling himself to his feet. Charles sucked in a deep breath when the open shirt the young man showed every rib and even the jutting of his collarbones. Wringing his hands he mumbled an apology and stood uncomfortably.

"You must be Ragetti. It is a pleasure to meet you, and this is my school. My name is Charles Xavier." The professor paused to gesture to the woman beside him, "This is Ororo Monroe. She is a teacher here at the institute. Ororo, why don't you take Ragetti to the kitchen so he can eat something? He looks horribly emaciated."

The African woman nodded and smiled. "Follow me dear, I'll get you something to eat."

It seemed as though that was all the invitation that he required. He bounded after her and pathetically thin legs and she led him to the upper levels in hopes of putting some weight on him. After they disappeared from sight, Charles addressed the assembled X-Men.

"How did it go?"

Logan groaned and jerked a thumb back at the jet. "He wasn't alone when he got stuck there, Chuck. He had a friend with him at the time and the guy died. I think it might have screwed his head up bad. He never buried him, was waiting to get back to real land and give him a funeral I guess. He talks to the man's skeleton, for Christ's sake! I think he was alone for too long, we better monitor him for awhile."

Charles nodded sympathetically. "We'll be sure to conduct a proper funeral. I'll have him stay in the Medical Ward for a few days. He's so thin and dirty, I believe we'll need to work on his physical health first. About how old would you say he is?"

Logan shook his head. "Mind and body wise? Twenty-five at the most. Add his power and consider what he was wearing with the weapons he had, I'd say between two and three hundred. That was an old pistol and he had and a actual cutlass hanging from his hip. He's old Chuck, and I think he mighta been there the whole time."

End Chapter

Thanks for reading, please review!

Stray


	3. Chapter 3

The Solitude of Immortality 

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or Pirates of the Caribbean characters. Blah, blah, blah…

Notes: Wow, I'm truly surprised to find people are actually enjoying this crap. But hey, it's something to do and those plot bunnies are vicious…meh. So here would be the third installment of this strange little story and thank everyone that has been reading along as well as reviewing. It really makes me happy when I get a new review or see that my hit rate is up. Thanks for reading and please review! Flames will burn innocent baby mutants.

Chapter 3

Storm was just about to lead Ragetti into the kitchen when she paused to turn around and look him over. He was filthy and she had just realized that he was also barefoot. Peering past him she saw that he had tracked sand and crud the entire way and she grimaced when she looked back into her perfect sparkling kitchen that she had spent the majority of the day cleaning.

Maybe he could wait a little longer before eating. Smiling at him she absently fiddled with her beaded bracelets and cleared her throat. He watched her wide eyed with genuine interest and almost childlike curiosity.

"Ragetti, well, I think it would be a good idea for you to clean up before you eat. Your rather dirty and your tracking sand through the school."

His mouth formed into an 'o' and he looked behind himself and saw the sand and filth that had followed him. Flushing under all his grime he mumbled an apology and shuffled in place as though embarrassed.

Had he not been so disgustingly dirty Ororo would have patted his shoulder and told him it was all right, but until he was clean she didn't want to risk it. She settled for telling him is was all right and led him away from her precious kitchen to a bathroom. Ushering him in he eyed the toilet and sink as well as the shower with fascination.

It took ten minutes to explain what their purpose was and he paused to play with the hot & cold water taps with the sink while she watched with amusement. She prepared the shower for him and enjoyed his wondrous expression at the running water. It took a few minutes to find a water temperature that wasn't uncomfortable for him but when she did she explained the body wash, shampoo, and wash rag to him. He seemed leery of bathing, but she firmly told him he could eat after he was clean.

She instructed like a mother for him to clean behind his ears as well as his feet and underarms before waiting outside the door for him to hand off his clothing to be washed. She raised an elegant eyebrow when she noticed he had kept his sword and pistol inside with himself, but she was more interested in getting rid of the smelly pile of clothing in her arms. She nearly ran to the laundry and after arriving poured half the laundry soap tub in with the water before dunking the pathetic array of garments in and snapping the lid shut.

She paused to root through some baskets of clean laundry and tried to find something that might fit the man, she was so tall and thin it would be hard. She found what she suspected was a pair of Scott's jeans and figured that he and thin man and him were near the same height. She also managed in locating a tee shirt that might have belonged to either Bobby or Kurt. She also settled for a pair boxers that could have belonged to any of the boys and nodding her head she decided that it would do.

With the clothing slung over her arm she jogged back to where she had left the young man. Upon arriving she paused to listen and noticed that the shower was off and she knocked. There was a short pause and the door opened a crack to show a blue eye staring out at her. Storm smiled and instructed him to dry off with a towel and handed the clothes over to him. The door shut but opened again a moment later.

"Wot are des?"

A hand held the boxers questioningly and she realized that he had had no underclothing mixed into the pile of rags she was currently washing. Her cocoa skin flushed and she explained.

"Those are boxers. Boy's and men wear them under their pants. You put those on first, then put on the pants." She heard a sound of acceptance and a thought struck her before he shut the door, "Before you put anything on, look for a small cloth tag on the inside. The tag means that it is the back."

The door shut and she waited for a moment tapping her foot idly. When it opened again, she looked up and a smile spread across her features. Steam still swirled around and the bathroom was a mess, but the grimy skinny island man she had led to the shower the first time around had transformed into a clean clothed skinny young man.

His hair was still drying but she could see he had done his best with a towel. It was indeed going to be blond when it was fully dried, and under all of the dirt his skin was an uneven tan that made him slightly endearing. He had an awful lot of uneven stubble, she guessed he may have been shaving with his sword. She would have to get Logan to fix that for him. The forest green shirt was baggy on his emaciated frame and the jeans were loose on his narrow hips but the old leather strap he used to secure his weapons was being used as a belt to hold the jeans up against the fight of gravity.

He smiled and she faltered at the sight of his rotten teeth. They would need to get him to the best dentist that they could possibly find. She just hoped that they were salvable and didn't need to all be replaced.

But for the most part, he was clean and blended in slightly better. Except for that eye. She couldn't help but stare as it rolled in his socket lazily and she could tell it wasn't real. No wonder he was so twitchy and clumsy, he was half-blind. If she could only see half of what was going on, she would be on edge as well. But the particular fake eye obviously didn't fit right and she saw that the socket around it was indeed red with irritation. Perhaps the professor could buy him a proper prosthetic while he was with them.

Snapping out of her thoughts she realized she was staring and smiled. "Alright, are you hungry?"

He beamed and nodded his head eagerly causing the strange brown orb to spin in it's socket and she wondered vaguely if he felt it move like that.

"Aye! 'aven' eatin' real food in a long time. Jus' coconuts and fish that washed up onta de beach."

She forced a smile and beckoned him to follow her back to the kitchen. He had been eating fish that were already dead? Only the heavens knew what kind of diseases they could carry and might have given him. He might be gross and a bit off, but he seemed sweet and childlike. Those fish easily could have given him a parasite or something even worse.

Entering the kitchen he looked around in amazement and jumped up onto a stool at the counter. As she fixed some food for him he babbled aimlessly and she found herself smiling at him from time to time and nodding though she could hardly understand a single word that he was saying.

She heated up a bowl of stew left over from the night before and located a spoon and set the food down in front of him. He paused and stared at it as if it was the most amazing thing had ever seen. Slowly he picked up the spoon and raised it to his sun dried lips taking a small bite.

What happened next rivaled Kurt's eating ability.

The bowl was spotless in under a minute and he held it out to her with a pleading gaze as he wriggled in his seat like a happy puppy. "More, please?" She stood shocked but grinned and fixed a second helping. Then a third, and then a fourth. In her previous experience people as starved as him had difficulty eating anything at all, but he was near finished with a huge bowl of his fourth helping of a chunky beef stew Logan had prepared the night before.

Storm vaguely wondered if the Xavier fortune would be able to cover an eating contest between the strange new arrival and the resident fuzzy elf. She doubted it and suspected it would most likely end in bankruptcy on the Professor's behalf.

Ragetti announced his fill with a hearty belch that would make some people she knew cheer and giggled at her face while mumbling an apology. She removed his bowl and swept her way over to the sink to rinse it and load it into the dishwasher.

When she turned back around his head was buried into his arms and he had actually fallen asleep at the counter.

End Chapter

Thank you for reading, yeah, I know that much didn't happen this time. But I'm going back home tomorrow and you might night get more for a couple of days. I'll do my best, but we'll see. Thanks for reading and I beg you to review.

Stray


	4. Chapter 4

The Solitude of Immortality

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or Pirates of the Caribbean characters. Blah, blah, blah…

Notes: Okay, so it's been about forever since I updated this, and for that I apologize. I've just been kinda….well, I have no legitimate excuse other than every time I came back and read this I was disgusted by how crappy it was. But, as there are apparently people who do want to read more of this, I'm giving in and giving an update if only for the fact I understand how aggravating it is when someone never updates something. So, basically, I'm sorry for the wait. Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed, I really appreciate it.

Chapter 4

A few days passed, and over time the Institute familiarized itself with the new arrival. For the most part, the Professor and faculty were confining Ragetti to the medical ward, having isolated him to a room once Dr. McCoy had aroused his concern that the young man may be carrying infectious third world diseases.

The staff felt guilty having the starved man confined in isolation, but after having burned his cleaned clothes and ensured that he was given vaccinations and completely clean, Xavier was preparing to have the newest member of the Mansion have his 'coming out' as they were calling it. That night, he would be fully integrated into the home the Institute made, and none were more excited and nervous than the guest of honor himself.

All day Ragetti had been pacing in his sterile medical room, muttering to himself and twisting his hands nervously. Ororo had paid him several visits before noon had even come around, and Logan had even arrived to drop off some clothing for him and help him shave, but as much as the presence of these people reassured him, he couldn't help but fidget and worry himself that all would not be well.

"Sommat gonna go wrong…jus' ye wait, 'ole boy, jus' ye wait. 'old a fork wrong dey'll kick ye to da gutter, jus' ye wait. Rich folks like dat, ain't they Pint? --- Oi Pint, stop bein' all quiet like, we got work to do, da mulberry bush needs trimmin' and da cherry stones ain't movin' demselves--o' course da kiwi's can come along! Ain't a tea party wit'out fuzzy 'ittle birds, 'ave it on the roof wit da sheep at four…."

As there were very few long settling guests, these odd one sided conversations were not heard nor recognized, but as the man paced his room, the babble increased in fervor and lucradity as the approaching hour neared. So much so, that by the time the door slid open and Wolverine stepped inside, he was greeted by a scrawny mariner talking to himself so rapidly that it would make Quicksilver's head spin.

"Hey! Bub, jeezus, calm down alright?" He eyed the twitching fellow with a frown of concern, and waited to be acknowledged, only for his concern to deepen when it took nearly thirty seconds for Ragetti to realize he was there. But once he did, the man's face lit up in a joyful smile and it was difficult to tell he'd ever been worrying himself as he had been.

"Oi! Logan, is it time, ta?" He stepped forward, his every move radiating chaotic excitement and his one good eye nearly glowing with the sudden energy that seemed to fill him from the core and out. It was hard to recall that the tanned thin fellow was the same that'd been trying to make sparks with two stones, but at the same time, there was something even more pathetic and brutal skulking bellow that eager to please grin and it made the Wolverine resist the urge to squirm in discomfort as he slowly nodded, moving out of the way of the doorframe.

He was on edge, as they'd all been on edge. All of the students were busy with excitement, and it'd taken them all much persuasion to go ahead to their studies rather than loiter about and chat excitably about the relic of a man that was to join their number. Many had crept down to the ward to meet him, all the adults knew this as Xavier himself had caught Bobby trying to smuggle a handheld videogame into the new arrival. When caught, he'd merely smiled sheepishly with a shrug, claiming that he "Didn't want the new guy to get bored!"

Ororo was nervous around the arrival, but anyone could see the way she coddled him and brought him more treats than necessary. She couldn't help herself really, he was an unusual and wearisome man, but he reminded her of a child with his trustful nervous ways, and she found him endearing. In response, Ragetti seemed to beam and become as doubly chipper when she entered his view, and seemed to have the reaction similar to that of a puppy every time it's owner entered the room, practically wiggling in his seat and eagerly awaiting for her to speak kindly and highly.

But Logan. Logan was fond of the arrival in his own way, but that didn't mean he trusted him. His trust wasn't easily obtained, and when the man was as sketchy and obviously unwell as he was, it added to his reluctance to trust the man. It didn't help the matter at all that he'd easily recognized bloodstains on Ragetti's clothing before they'd been burned, an act that had sent the sailor into hysterics before having to be sedated for the night. Logan had confiscated the weapons, and determined they'd been well used, and there were only so many things a true cutlass would have been used for.

But back to the present, as Logan moved out of the way and allowed the scarecrow of a man to pass, and then led him upstairs as the man looked around himself in wonder, as he had the last time he's set his sight on the grand halls of the Xavier Mansion, Logan couldn't help but walk beside the arrival as opposed to in front of him. He didn't suppose he expected Ragetti to attack anyone, but his gut instinct and the little itch at the base of his skull told him to be careful and watchful, and Logan had never once ignored those feelings of complete primal warning, for he trust ed them more than he trusted his own mind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The table was set, and the students were sitting and chatting amongst themselves. Once Logan and Ragetti appeared in the doorway, everything dulled and quieted, a moment of complete hush falling across the room as those familiar smiled and waved, and those who hadn't even seen the sailor eyed him is devouring interest and curiosity.

The silence stretched, and as all eyes trained upon the newest member of the makeshift family, the fidgeting and nervousness began to creep back in. Thin hands began to wring before moving the twist the bottom hem of his shirt, rotten teeth worried a chapped bottom lip, mismatched eyes darted anxiously and he began to sweat as his thin chest began to tighten and ache. Logan and Charles himself picked up on this before it registered with everyone, and all attention was drawn to the telepath as a nervous man slid into a seat between Kurt and Scott.

"Everyone, this is Roshaun Ragetti, the Institutes newest arrival. As I'm sure most of you have caught a glimpse of him at some point, I'll also allow you to make your own introductions. All I can ask is that you be patient with him, he is from an earlier time, and I would prefer if none of you overwhelmed him with our modern way of living so he may adjust at his own pace. Things are going to be difficult, for all of us, but I believe with patience, and kindness, we'll all find ourselves happy and comfortable with each other." Kindly but firm eyes fell upon the gust, who had been listening but was more interested with playing with his napkin at the moment. "Ragetti, is there anything you'd like to say, or would you prefer to go at your own pace for the meal?"

There was a false start before two eyes, one organic and the other miss-shaped wood, trained themselves on the bald man's face, but for some neurotic reason could not make eye contact. His lips parted hesitantly, and for the first time since the island he seemed unable to speak directly, but then the chapped lips melted into a tiny and shy smile, and several mouths began to smile in response.

"Jus'….fank ye. Fer all o' this. Really." His head ducked, a seemingly bird like habit, and the Professor nodded with a small smile and a a shared look with the adults at his each side.

"Your very welcome, now, I'm sure everyone is hungry and would like to say hello. I believe, it's time for dinner to commence."

And so it did, the staff immediately fell into a low and private conversation as the excitement and interest fluttered in the minds and hearts of the students, and soon they were all taking the time to say hello again or fully introduce themselves, while others were too busy staring at the man in quiet study as he was given names, abilities, and asked ceaseless questions which were quickly stopped with a firm but decisive reproach by Scott when he saw that the man beside him was becoming overwhelmed and was beginning to grow even more agitated.

Aside from his answers, Ragetti was relatively silent for most of the dinner. He seemed more interested in his food than anything else, and this confused those who'd been on the plane with him back to civilization. They distinctly recalled what a chatterbox he;d been, and seeing him silent was a startling change. But, all in all, it was written off as nervousness, and they just put their energy towards setting a pace for the younger more excited students, and trying to reassure Ragetti with quiet smiles and offering him more to eat.

But the time that the meal had come to an end, Ragetti was flushed and smiling, if not still silent. When once truly took any notice of him, they would notice he was somewhat glassy-eyed, or as it was, eye, and it was written off as being tired and overwhelmed. In fact, he gladly followed after Scott when the boy showed him his new permanent room, which was thankfully all to himself at the time, and spacious and private. Ragetti was overwhelmed by the large bed and dresser, but as soon as the young mutant had left, he's torn all the blankets from the bed and thrown away all but one pillow before climbing into the center and curling up whilst still fully clothed.

The only thing he'd really taken the time to do, was shut the curtains fully and drape the extra blankets over them to keep them completely and utterly blocked off. Once this was all over, he fell into a restless and dark sleep.


End file.
